The late Herman Wallace and the dying Lynne Stewart are among the numerous prisoners the US keeps caged away for their political activity. Herman Wallace was framed for murder for helping organize a Black Panther Party chapter in the Angola Prison of Louisiana. His battle against the racist prison system won him over 41 years in solitary confinement. Herman died of lung cancer and was never able to undergo treatment. Lynne Stewart, a people’s lawyer, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for “zealously defending her client.” Her client was accused of “terrorism” by the U.S. “war on terror” machine. Lynne is now dying of Stage IV breast cancer in federal prison and has been refused compassionate release for medical treatment by the Obama Administration.
US politicians cheered and clapped after police shot an unarmed Black woman who drove her car into White House territory. They shed crocodile tears over the children who were affected by the chemical weapons attack in Syria. They condemned the mall shooting in Nairobi. But no condemnations, words of remorse, or tears are shed for America’s own political prisoners. President Obama’s only concern is to ensure that the ruling classes of capital are provided with the conditions necessary for the super-exploitation of America’s poor, Black, and struggling classes. The American empire’s political survival is at stake after the embarrassing outcome in Syria that has capped 4.5 years of Bush-on-steroids policies under the guise of “war on terror” and “humanitarian” motivations. It is time to realize the dogs of capital in the White House cannot learn new tricks. They will continue to remain silent on the very existence of political prisoners (let alone their release) while loudly barking about their love of freedom and democracy.
“This imprisonment is not random; it is for the purposes of racist and capitalist hegemony.”